Are Enlarged Lymph Nodes In Neck A Cause For Concern?

Posted on Fri, 13 May 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 13 May 2016 Answered on

Thu, 23 Jun 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi, my wife got serious infection throat about 2 months ago and she had slight enlarge lymph nodes, she got better in about 7 days. Fast forward today, her lymphnodes are still there, every time she turns her neck to one side you can feel it. The left side is more then the right side, this is only when turning neck. She had showed 2 doctors, and 1 ENT specialist, no one seems to say it is of any concern. I am concerned, because shouldn't they go away in less the month? They notated it is less then 1cm the lymphnode, please advise any test need be done.... since the infection went away she has been normal, no fever, no pain, no sweating. nothing..

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (28 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No need to be concerned.

Detailed Answer:
Hello!

Thank you for the query.

This lymph nodes can stay like that for a long time. Only some lymph nodes do disappear that quickly (in one month). In most cases, enlarged (due to infection) lymph nodes stay larger that before the infection and never do not turn back to normal size.
As long as this lymph nodes do not grow quickly, there is no new lymph nodes in other areas, no need to be concerned.
Thyroid ultrasound can be done and blood work (to make sure WBC are normal).
If it really scares her, she may force doctors to perform lymph nodes biopsy. But this is just to ease her mind.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar